Building a successful marketing plan–whether it’s for a business or for you as a job seeker–requires the same basic steps. And in both cases, your marketing plan should be based on some solid market research.
How can you sell yourself if you don’t know what they’re buying?
For all of the conversation about the elements of an effective resume, cover letter, interview or whatnot, none of it can be accomplished without an understanding of the need the employer has that you’re trying to fill.
So how do you get market research for your job search?
- Job postings. It may be difficult to get through to jobs posted on the web, but the postings offer a wealth of information about what people are looking for in staff. Look at a bunch of job postings that you’d consider a good fit for you — what do they have in common? What keywords appear in the postings? How often? Can you see any trends in required skills or experience? Are there differences as you move between industries, or job titles? See what you can learn from the company itself.
- Networking. Talk to people in your industry. What do they say about the job market? When you talk to people who are involved in hiring, what do they see as the trends? Network with people who work at target companies. How did they get hired? What was the interview process like? Why do they think they got the job?
- Major publications. Media outlets like the Wall Street Journal and BusinessWeek cover a wide range of business stories, all of which can give you either direct knowledge of the job market in your area or industry, or indirect information about the trends and forces that would influence hiring.
- Informational interviews. When in doubt, head for the source. See if you can chat over coffee with a potential hiring manager and pick their brain. Ask more than whether they have jobs. Ask about their company, trends, their background — anything that might give you insight into how to be successful in your approach.
- Asking for feedback. Find an impartial person that you trust to give you direct feedback on your qualifications. Look to friends or former colleagues that have a solid view on your marketability, or turn to career centers for help. You can also tap your network for mentors who can help steer you towards success.
By learning all you can, and tracking what you learn, you can begin to draw conclusions about what aspects of your background are most marketable — and what arenas need some polishing up.
Where else do you get your job search market research?
photo credit: kevindooley
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
hmm.Thanks i thing that will help me to boost my companies product as well. and good article to someone who still straggling to market their brand.
Personally the resources proven to be most valuable for me are major publications and networking. The major pubs can provide a lot of good info on companies. Then that becomes the basis for networking. It is easier to get networking help if you do your research upfront.
Great Article on Market Research & Personal Branding !!